CAIR Calls on GOP to Repudiate Iowa Rep. Steve King's 'Racist' Tweet

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, March 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Iowa chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Iowa) today called on state and national Republican Party leaders to repudiate a racist tweet by Rep. Steve King (R-IA).

In a tweet supporting the Islamophobic extreme-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who recently referred to people of Moroccan heritage in that nation as "scum," King tweeted: "Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies."

"This racist tweet crosses the line from dog-whistle politics to straight-up White supremacist advocacy, which must be repudiated by state and national GOP leaders," said CAIR-Iowa Executive Director Miriam Amer. "King seems to believe that only babies of a particular demographic should be valued as part of America's culture and destiny."

CAIR's national headquarters in Washington, D.C., has noted an unprecedented spike in hate incidents targeting Muslims and other minority groups since the November 8 election, including a number of hate attacks on American mosques.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.